


What could have happened to you in high school that would have altered the course of your life?

by HansonPhreek



Series: 642 Things to Write [21]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts Eighth Year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-20
Updated: 2015-01-20
Packaged: 2018-08-07 17:31:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7723477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HansonPhreek/pseuds/HansonPhreek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first few weeks of 8th year, 4 ways</p>
            </blockquote>





	What could have happened to you in high school that would have altered the course of your life?

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I own nothing but this story. I make no money from it.

**The first few weeks of 8th year, 4 ways**

* * *

Harry

Harry had been surprised by himself when he'd sent that owl to Draco Malfoy, basically telling the Slytherin he _had_ to come back to school.

Harry had been surprised by Hermione when she'd announced the day before returning to Hogwarts that she was going to ask Draco to be her friend.

Harry had been surprised by Ron when he'd easily accepted the blond Slytherin into their circle of friends and could regularly be seen playing chess with the other young man.

Harry had been surprised by Draco when he'd first walked into the Gryffindor Common Room, three days into term, and stayed there until nearly curfew.

Harry had been surprised by Headmistress McGonagall when she'd suggested that the Slytherin who was basically alone in his own house move into Gryffindor Tower.

Harry had been surprised by his dorm mates when they'd all welcomed Draco into their room only a month into the year.

But mostly, Harry had been surprised by himself again when he'd realized only a few days after the move that he had serious feelings for a certain snake in the lion's den.

* * *

Ron

Ron had tried arguing with his girlfriend about her decision to befriend Malfoy. For about an hour. He knew better than to get in her way once she had set her mind to something. Anyway, he fully expected the blond git to refuse, or even outright laugh in her face. When she had reappeared after performing her prefect duties on the train, he was genuinely shocked to see Malfoy trailing behind her.

Things had been tense that first meeting, but before the train had even pulled into Hogsmeade Station, Ron had to admit to himself that the Slytherin wasn't as bad as he had been. Malfoy was polite and surprisingly funny. He was also rather good at chess. He offered much more of a challenge than all of Ron's other possible opponents.

Before Ron really knew what was happening, Draco was spending free periods and evenings in the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron thought this would have upset him but it didn't. Draco offered a study partner for Hermione, a much more challenging chess player for himself, and a very welcomed dry sense of humor to even out Seamus's more crude brand of hilarity. Therefore it only seemed natural to agree when the Headmistress had gathered all the eighth year Gryffindor boys with an odd request.

Draco fit easily into their dorm room; a bed was added between Harry and Neville for him. It seemed only slightly odd to have a snake in the lion's den, and no one really complained about it. However it was only a matter of days before Ron wondered if it had really been a good idea for the blond to move in. Ron felt that Harry might be developing some more-than-friendly feelings for the other young man.

* * *

Hermione

Hermione, it turned out, was rather pleased with herself. It had taken much less effort than expected to gain the friendship of Draco Malfoy. And he fit in surprisingly well with the Gryffindors. The war had certainly changed him as much, if not more so, than it had changed her and all her friends. 

Draco, it turned out, was a great study partner. He never complained about doing their school work and knew as much about each subject as Hermione did. Sometime he even knew the answers off the top of his head that Hermione had to look up. And he never once rolled his eyes when she suggested drawing up a study schedule, like Ron and Harry always had.

Ron, it turned out, was a great boyfriend. He was affectionate without being too touchy-feely. He complimented her often and always made her feel special. He had hardly argued when she decided to offer friendship to Draco. He barely flinched when Draco first came into the Gryffindor Common Room. And he never once got jealous when Hermione spent hours alone with Draco studying.

Harry, it turned out, really understood Draco. They got along great from the first moment Hermione turned up with the blond on the Hogwarts Express. If Harry and Ron hadn't been best friends for eight years, Draco would have easily taken that position. And when Headmistress McGonagall had first suggested Draco's move, Harry had immediately said yes. Although Hermione knew that this was probably due to the fact that Harry was developing some rather real feelings for the snake that spent so much time in the lion's den. And he never once wondered why Hermione would give him knowing looks when she caught him staring.

* * *

Draco

With the unexpected turn things took on the Hogwarts Express, Draco suddenly had hope that his life and his future could actually be good. The Gryffindors were amazingly easy to get along with. Draco realized then just _how much_ the war had changed him. It was surprising to Draco that he hadn't made friends with the Gryffindors earlier. Too much inter-house rivalry, he guessed.

Things in Slytherin House were subdued and depressing. The next oldest students after Draco were two years younger and resolutely ignoring Draco. In fact all of the younger Slytherins, and many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, avoided Draco as if he had some sort of highly contagious and untreatable disease. Draco had expected this treatment. No one wanted to be associated with someone that had once been considered a Death Eater.

So Draco spent as much time as possible in Gryffindor Tower. He made fast friends with everyone in his year and soon was branching out from there. He'd been surprised when the Headmistress had asked for a meeting with him. The Head of Slytherin House was concerned about his well-being, since he was completely and utterly alone. It had been Draco's idea to move him, but it had been McGonagall who suggested putting him with the Gryffindors.

Not that Draco wanted to go anywhere else. He was perfectly happy to be the snake in the lion's den. In the month leading up to his move, Draco had discovered a very valuable thing about himself. He was unequivocally and irrevocably in love with a certain wild-haired, bespectacled hero. And Draco would do anything to be closer to The Boy Who Lived.


End file.
